Fuel EXe Chain dropping and "clunk" sound on Fuel ExE 9.5

[ChrisDT]

Hi - Just got a Fuel ExE 9.5 and experienced two issues on my first ride and looking for some advice.

1. On no-assist, I was going up a gradual incline and shifted to a lower gear and the chain dropped (from the front). Maybe I've been lucky but I've never experienced that before. Is there something specific I should be checking related to this?

2. This may be the dumb question of the year and maybe all bikes do this, but I don't experience this on my regular bike. Hard to explain but... If start to pedal but I'm in the wrong gear, it kinda makes a "clunk" sound as it revolves to the point to get traction and drive me forward. Even if I'm already cruising along and in a lower gear than I should be, every 1/8 rotation forward will make a clunk with no "grip" and then it takes and pedals me forward. Man I wish I could explain that better but hopefully it makes sense?

3. Bonus question: The gear shifting is incredibly loud. Is that just the Shimano Deores on this bike?

Thanks for any insights and for trying to decipher my explanation in item 2 (and apologies if this is standard bike behavior

 

[KevinNY]

You should take your right crank off and check the lockring that holds the chainring to the spindle shaft is torqued to 50nm. **NOTE**, the lockring needs a standard 20 spline bottom bracket tool, such as the Park Tool BBT-22 or BBT-32.

When you reinstall your crank arm, it should be torqued to approx 40nm but check yours based on your crank. I have ethirteen carbon cranks and it calls for 40nm.

 

[Mteam]

Hi - Just got a Fuel ExE 9.5 and experienced two issues on my first ride and looking for some advice.

1. On no-assist, I was going up a gradual incline and shifted to a lower gear and the chain dropped (from the front). Maybe I've been lucky but I've never experienced that before. Is there something specific I should be checking related to this?

2. This may be the dumb question of the year and maybe all bikes do this, but I don't experience this on my regular bike. Hard to explain but... If start to pedal but I'm in the wrong gear, it kinda makes a "clunk" sound as it revolves to the point to get traction and drive me forward. Even if I'm already cruising along and in a lower gear than I should be, every 1/8 rotation forward will make a clunk with no "grip" and then it takes and pedals me forward. Man I wish I could explain that better but hopefully it makes sense?

3. Bonus question: The gear shifting is incredibly loud. Is that just the Shimano Deores on this bike?

Thanks for any insights and for trying to decipher my explanation in item 2 (and apologies if this is standard bike behavior

I have an exe 9.5, some thoughts below

1. Keep an eye on it, if it does it frequently then it sounds like it could be a problem with the chainline, there's not much scope to alter this though, hopefully it was just a one off.

2. The rear hub on the wheels that come with the 9.5 is really awful , and has a very low number of points of engagement, I suspect from your description you are describing the rear hub engaging, but because there such a large gap between points of engagement you get this clunk. If it is this, then its normal for the 9.5 wheel. The wheels that come stock with the 9.5 are pretty awful (heavy, weak , and with a poor hub), I upgraded mine straightaway.

3. Again - normal (for the 9.5) I suspect, although without hearing it ,its hard to be certain. The cassette on my 9.5 was some horrendous sunrace thing that was heavy, and very clunky when shifting, and the noise isnt helped by the crappy hub in the rear, again I swapped the cassette out almost straightaway.

 

[ChrisDT]

I have an exe 9.5, some thoughts below

1. Keep an eye on it, if it does it frequently then it sounds like it could be a problem with the chainline, there's not much scope to alter this though, hopefully it was just a one off.

2. The rear hub on the wheels that come with the 9.5 is really awful , and has a very low number of points of engagement, I suspect from your description you are describing the rear hub engaging, but because there such a large gap between points of engagement you get this clunk. If it is this, then its normal for the 9.5 wheel. The wheels that come stock with the 9.5 are pretty awful (heavy, weak , and with a poor hub), I upgraded mine straightaway.

3. Again - normal (for the 9.5) I suspect, although without hearing it ,its hard to be certain. The cassette on my 9.5 was some horrendous sunrace thing that was heavy, and very clunky when shifting, and the noise isnt helped by the crappy hub in the rear, again I swapped the cassette out almost straightaway.

Very helpful, thank you. Your explanation of item number 2 seems really on point ... that seems quite plausible to be what I'm hearing. It's interesting because I knew the 9.5 was the lower specc'ed entry model but didn't have an appreciation what that really meant. Don't get me wrong, it's a great bike but definitely room for some upgraded components.